


The Rise and Fall of Maria Shepard

by XxRebelAngelxX



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-22
Updated: 2017-08-22
Packaged: 2018-12-18 10:54:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11872866
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxRebelAngelxX/pseuds/XxRebelAngelxX
Summary: Maria was at the peak of her career. She had defeated the collectors, she had met many talented soldiers that she would would eventually call friends, and she discovered the love of her life; Garrus Vakarian.Maria's happy-go-lucky attitude was already challenged by the rising Reaper threat, but when she witnesses the death of the love of her life, her heart and soul are shattered.Will Maria recover from his death? Or will the galaxy's safety be threatened by Shepard's broken heart?





	1. The Death of Garrus Vakarian

The ground was shaking.The air was filled with the sounds of husks and as they fell to the ground. The smell of blood permeated across the dark battlefield.

"Shepard, we have to move to higher ground."

Maria looked over at the Drell, quickly nodding her head in agreement. There was no point in talking. The sounds of gunfire and screaming would most likely mask her words into muffled groans. She quickly gave Garrus and Thane the signal to move to higher ground. Slowly but surely, the three squadmates moved to higher ground, shooting Marauders and Husks as they went. Once the three squadmates reached the top, they found cover behind a metal beam that had fallen over during the Reaper invasion.

"We should probably spread out. Being located in one spot is bound to catch their attention and eventually lead to an attack from all sides."

"You're right Garrus," Shepard agreed. "Thane, you take the over behind the building across the way, behind the boulder to your right. Garrus, you take cover behind the ship that landed beside the building to your left. Move out." 

Garrus and Thane quickly fled to their positions, adeptly avoiding all enemy fire as Shepard covered their flanks. Shepard smiled a bloodthirsty grin. _We've gotten past their main defenses. Now all that's left to do is to push them back inside the faulty control tower across the plaza._ This battle was going better than expected.

Or so she thought. 

The three squadmates had just reached the base of the control tower when Garrus let out a loud, guttural groan, as he keeled over in pain.

"Garrus!" Shepard shouted, rushing over to help her fallen squadmate. A sneaky marauder had snuck up behind Garrus, blowing a thermal clip right through the side of his face. Thane shot the Marauder in the head as Maria knelt down next to Garrus. 

"Shepard," Garrus groaned, turning his head to face Shepard as she cupped it. 

_Garrus..._

Dark blue blood was slowly dripping down his down his left mandible and onto the cobalt blue plates of his armor. "Shepard," Garrus coughed, sputtering blood all over Shepard's hands and the ground. "Leave me. You need to get to the control tower; you need to save the people trapped there."

"I can't go there to save them without you, Garrus. You're a part of my squad." 

_You're a part of me._

Garrus looked longingly into Maria's dark hazel eyes as he pulled one of her hands away from his face, making her fingers interlock with his talons."What's losing one life compared to losing the lives of hundreds of innocent people? I'm no innocent Turian, Maria. The people in there, though? Those are innocent people. Those are people with families they want to see again. Those are people who have the potential to do great things."

He squeezed her hand.

"Go save them."

Tears flowed like rivers down Maria's blood-stained cheeks. "Garrus, you can still be saved. Don't give up."

_Please_

"Shepard," Thane hesitantly interjected. "More enemies are approaching. I suggest we move forward while we still can."

"Go," Garrus whispered. "Go be the Maria I fell in love with." Garrus's grip on her hand slowly faded, as his eyes slowly closed and his head bobbed back onto the gravel.

"Garrus?" Maria shook him. "GARRUS!" Maria screamed, squeezing Garrus's talons with all her might.

_Come back to me._

Shepard, we need to leave. NOW."

Shepard slowly rose off of the charcoal colored gravel and ran with Thane into enemy fire.

Weaving in and out of enemy lines she ran, roaring as tears streamed down her cheeks. Time seemed to slow down as bodies fell to the ground in heaps as Shepard hack and slashed her way through the enemy. She was an angel of death. She was Garrus's angel of death _._

_This is a nightmare. Soon I'll wake up to Garrus's happy chuckling as he holds me tight to his plated body. Soon I'll wake up to the sound of sloshing water in the fish tank. Soon I'll wake up to the sound of Jack and Miranda fighting outside of my cabin._

Maria was jolted out of her reverie by the scraping of a bullet grazing her right cheek. That was the past. This was no nightmare, this was her new reality.

Shepard had just watched the man she loved with all her heart die.                                                                                 

                                                                             


	2. When Grief Sets In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard left the Garrus out on the battlefield as she and Thane went to go rescue some people who were captured by the Reaper army.  
> Shepard left the battle victorious; she was able to rescue all of the people captured in the control tower they were going after. 
> 
> Maria should be happy, but she isn't.

 *Flashback*

_"You know Shepard, there are other ways to work out besides trying to lift your chin up above that metal bar you got there."_

_Shepard momentarily stopped mid pull-up to look at the grinning Turian leaning up against some of the empty orange cargo bins lining the shuttle bay wall._

_"You mean pull-up?"_

_He scoffed."Yeah, yeah, one of those. I think I have a better idea."_

_'Lord knows where this conversation is going,' Maria thought as she continued to do some pull-ups. "And what would that be, Big Blue?"_

_"I told you not to call me that."_

_"Says the man who still calls me Shepard even though we share a bed."_

_"Fair point."_

_Slowly starting to get fed up, Maria pushed onwards for details. "Anyways, what do you have in mind that could possibly be any better than doing pull-ups?"_

_He slowly approached Maria from behind, stilling her by wrapping his arms around her waist. "I think you know what I mean, Shepard." Garrus laid his head on Maria's shoulder as she lowered herself to the ground and let go of the bar._

_"Possibly..."_

_She turned around in Garrus's embrace, wrapping her hands around his neck. "Just to make sure we're on the same page, why don't you go ahead and give me a preview of this superb idea you have?" After saying this, Garrus slowly lowered his taloned hands to Maria's hips and she nuzzled her face against his neck._

_"See, isn't this better? We haven't even started the workout and-oof!"_

_Garrus was forced to stop mid-sentence as Shepard tackled him to the ground by a smirking Shepard. Somehow, without him noticing, Maria was able to lower her hands down to his shoulders and use Garrus's weight against him. Now he was laying down on the cold metal ground in the shuttle bay, with the love of his life straddling his hips._

_"Well, that's one way to start the workout off."_

_"You wish you were that lucky," Maria said, slowly rising off of his hips to stand up again. " I have work to do. I didn't have a lot of time to work out, and I certainly don't have a lot of time to deal with your distracting presence. Get out of here, you big ole oaf." Shepard nudged her boot against his shin and headed towards the elevator to head back to her captain._

_Surprised by her sudden departure, Garrus quickly shouted, "don't think you've heard the last of me tonight, Maria. I'll get you back for teasing me like that!"_

*End of flashback*

* * *

 

Docking Bay D24 was filled with the sound of laughter and happy sobs as the former Reaper captives reunited with their family. An Asari was reunited with her Turian father; a Salarian was reunited with the remainder of his medical team; a Volus was finally able to return to work. The sight was almost enough to make Maria shed a tear of happiness. She probably would've, if it weren't for the feelings of grief that washed over her. 

Shepard sat on the sidelines of the reunion, sitting on a bench as she thought about the events of the past few hours. 

_Why, Garrus? Why did you not let me attempt to save you? Why did you have to play the big goddamn hero? That wasn't your job._

She clasped onto her helmet, squeezing her eyes tight as to not let any tears escape.

_You died because of me....because of my stupidity._

"Shepard."

Maria looked up to see Thane approaching her, his head down and his hands behind his back. He sat down next to her. "I know what it's like, Shepard. I know what it's like to lose someone you love..."

"Thane..."

"No, Maria. Let me talk. You can't hold in your feelings, especially from a person who has been trained to study their target's emotions in order to pinpoint their weaknesses and take them out when they're least expecting it." He paused, as he watched a single tear drop down between the scarlet curtains of her hair, and onto her midnight black N7 helmet. "You must let out your emotions. You're the one who taught me to be open about my past and how I feel about it. Now it's your turn to open up and let your emotions out. No holding back."

As Maria looked into the noir depths of Thane's eyes, she felt the invisible bond between them grow even stronger. He knew what she was feeling; he knew the feeling of losing the most important person in the world.

Before she could stop herself, Maria tucked her head into Thane's shoulder as she began to weep.

 

* * *

The reunion had closed. All of the people who were captured returned home, and all of the Normandy's crew members returned to the Normandy.

It was a silent night on the Normandy. The usual murmurs of conversation and the occasional laugh that could be heard from the members working at the Combat Information Center were gone. The jokes that Wrex would usually tell had become stale. Everyone was feeling the loss of Garrus Vakarian, but Maria was feeling it the most.

As soon as she had boarded the Normandy, she had pushed past the crew members in front of her so she could quickly reach the elevator. Thane had encouraged her to let her emotions show, but Maria couldn't stomach it. _It seems like I never practice what I preach._ Maria stepped into the elevator, quickly pushing the button for deck 1. Maybe she would be able to get over her grief with a good night sleep and a nice cup of coffee after she woke up. _Only a heartless person would be able to get over death that quickly._ The elevator pinged as the doors slowly slid shut.

Maria just wanted to be alone. She wanted to cry out all her sadness and wake up and discover that this was all a terrible nightmare. _What's the point in saving the galaxy if I can't even save the one I love?_

No.... she could not think like that.

The elevator pinged again as the doors slid open. Maria quickly left the elevator and approached her cabin.

_I just need to sleep._

After inputting the code to her room, Maria ran and threw herself onto her bed.

_I just need to sleep._

Maria allowed her body to sink into the white comforter, letting the comforter warm her bronze skin, just like Garrus use to.

_I just need to sleep_

A sudden cool breeze swept over her room as her new fan came on, blowing the comforter aside, reminding her that the warmth she had experienced wasn't from Garrus at all.

_How can I sleep without him?_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the second chapter of a series I'm revising. I wrote the original series when I was 12, so I'm fixing up some plot issues, grammar issues, and making the events of the story more descriptive. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of a series I'm revising. I wrote the original series when I was 12, so I'm fixing up some plot issues, grammar issues, and making the events of the story more descriptive. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.


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